Your social media postings could result in visa refusalThe US Department of State (DOS) announced that as of Dec. 15, 2025, US embassies will more intensely examine visa applicants’ “online presence” for H-1B, H4, F, M and J non-immigrants. However, this social media vetting could easily apply to applicants for immigrant visas as well. Visa applicants are instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to “public” to enable the US government to review their postings. Screening a person’s social media postings is yet another part of President Trump’s “extreme vetting,” to search out and catch people who may be coming to the US, intending to engage in illegal activities, terrorism, etc. But there still is a reason to be concerned about social media postings.

Source: Philippine Star January 24, 2026 16:34 UTC